What Friends Are For
by Im-AcErBiC
Summary: When London's so called friend visits the Tipton and insults everyone, it's up to Cody to make London realize that beauty is only skindeep.


-1A/N: I KNOW you are all waiting on the sequel to In Over My Head. It's coming along nicely, to let you all know, and the fic will be called Frayed. I'm in the middle of chapter eight of it, but to hold you all over, I figured I'd make a one-shot for you. It's Cody/London, naturally, but more of a friendship fic. The ages are normal: Cody: 13 and London: 16. Since these are the ages, I figured I'd leave out some of the romantic stuff.

Disclaimer: I don't own Porschia Tenenbaum, hell, I can't even spell her name lolz. I don't own anyone in this.

Summary: When London's so called "friend" visits the Tipton and insults everyone, it's up to Cody to make London realize that beauty is only skin-deep.

!#$&()+

"Hello, Madeline," An oddly gloomy London greeted, approaching the candy counter.

"Hey London. What's wrong with you?" Maddie asked, propping her head up on her hand, formerly pouring over a Shakespeare book. She carefully placed the bookmark inside and closed the book. London saw that it was entitled A Midsummer Night's Dream.

"Porschia Tenenbaum is on her way to visit," London replied rolling her eyes and heaving a loud sigh.

"Why are you upset about that? I thought she was your friend," Maddie chuckled confusedly.

"Exactly. I know her better than anyone. When she gets here, the first thing she's going to do is criticize the hotel. Then I'll take her up to my penthouse suite. She'll make fun of that too. She'll say it isn't good enough and complain about how she has to stay there. Then, she'll brag about the yacht her daddy just bought her and all the cool stuff it has. And, after I bring her back down to the lobby, she'll judge my friends. You, Carey, Zack, Cody, Esteban and Moseby. And we'll go shopping and she will hate everything I buy. Then she'll leave, thank God!" London explained thoroughly, a touch of untainted anger in her voice. Maddie's eyes were widened.

"She doesn't sound very nice," Maddie laughed a bit, trying to ease the atmosphere.

"She's not. She makes me look like you," London said openly, ignoring the offended look on Maddie's face.

"Why don't you just tell her not to come? Or better yet, stop being friends with her?" Maddie asked sarcastically, as if it were the most obvious idea in the world.

"Or why don't I just stick my head in a lion's cage at the zoo?" London retorted, equally as sarcastic. She saw the skeptical expression on Maddie's face.

"She knows things. She can do things. She can do bad things that can ruin my reputation, or worse," London elucidated, almost fearfully. Maddie stepped away from London in identical fear. As London crossed her arms, a shrill laugh could be heard coming from the hotel entrance. London cringed, but turned around, pretending to be happy to see a very pretty blonde standing in a very London-ish pose.

"Lon! You still live in this dump?" She giggled annoyingly, giving London air kisses on each cheek.

"Oh, Porsche! Such a kidder," London replied in a falsely delighted voice also.

"I wasn't kidding," Porschia replied, dropping her laughs. The girl had very bright blonde hair and a very expensive-looking outfit. She resembled a pile of tinsel seeing as how she was covered in silver jewelry and other silver accessories. As she passed London, who had a very cross look on her face, she spotted Maddie walking over. London slapped a hand to her forehead. Maddie had just bought herself a load of trouble!

"Hi, I'm Maddie. You must be Porschia," Maddie introduced herself pleasantly. Porschia glared at Maddie's hand, but ignored it and pushed passed her.

"Yes, London's told me all about you," She said, sticking her nose in the air. Maddie gave a slightly fierce look to London and added,

"All good I hope." The hopefulness in her voice had obviously revealed itself to Porschia.

"Oh, of course! I worked the rest out for myself," she said insultingly. Maddie was about to shoot a nasty comeback, but Zack and Cody had come over. Zack strutted over to Porschia.

"Hey, sweet thang. Never seen you here before," he flirted shamelessly.

"Hopefully, you never will again. This hotel is so four stars," she sighed, as if trying to daydream herself out of it.

"You sound like high maintenance. My favorite," Zack said, sliding closer to her. Porschia looked disgusted.

"London, get this little charity case away from me!" She screeched. London looked angered by this.

"He's not a charity case. He's my friend. And I'd prefer you not talk about my friends that way," London said defensively, earning her a few proud looks from everyone except Porschia.

"Whatever. Can we please go up to your , ahem, suite so these 'people' will stop coming over to us?" Porschia whined, backing away from the twins and Maddie. London gave her an evil look.

"I'm sick of you dissing my friends! Why do you have to be so stuck up?" London asked, exasperatedly.

"You used to be that way too. We would always go to the mall and make fun of fashion victims, then you went all soft," Porschia said remorselessly, crossing her arms.

"I grew up. Maybe you should too," London retorted in a calm voice. (A/N: This would be one of those times when the audience would be like "Oooooh, no she didn't") Porschia scoffed.

"As much fun as this little mini-visit has been, I'm outie. I don't hang out with people with as many imperfections as you," Porschia said, skipping back toward the door, which seemed almost acrobatic, in her stiletto heels.

"Excuse me?" London asked, insulted.

"Oh, come on. Your outfit is so last week. Your hair is way too dark, and what's with the do? When's the last time you went to the gym? Ya look a little chubby," Porschia said, giggling to herself, and pinching London's cheek. Everyone glanced at the look on London's face. She looked genuinely hurt. She even looked like she was about to cry. This prediction came true as London turned on heel and ran, sobbing, back up to her room. What she didn't know was that someone had followed her.

_:Two Minutes Later:_

As London cried softly into her couch pillow, she heard a knock at the door.

"Go away!" She yelled through her pillow. Evidently, the person at the door mistook London's command as, "Come in," because that's what they did. London's head shot up to glare at the person who had barged in. She noticed the blonde hair and outfit and knew who it was instantly.

"Cody, I'd like to be left alone right now," she said, returning to her pillow.

"Why?" He asked inquisitively, taking the seat next to her. She sat up to stare at him strangely.

"Because I'm upset," she answered, annoyed.

"Why?" He asked again. She sighed and counted to ten silently. Cody could get on her nerves sometimes.

"Because of what Porschia said," London explained, trying to stay calm.

"Well, do you think what she said is true?" He asked, giving her a signature Cody Martin look.

"I guess not," London replied truthfully, pondering what he said.

"Then, why would you be upset about it?" He questioned, ignoring her agitated stance.

"Because, maybe it is true!" London shot back, her crying evident in her quivering voice.

"You just said it wasn't. And even if it was, why would it upset you?" Cody inquired, continuing his list of stupid questions. (In her opinion.)

"Because, the things she said are...bad...they...they're," she stammered, searching for an reply.

"They're imperfections. Everyone has them. Nobody's perfect," he said honestly, crossing his arms.

"Well, I was...or...I mean," London stuttered. She hated when he did that.

"Well, nothing. You have imperfections. I do too, everybody does, but that doesn't make you any less of a person. In fact, it's what makes us human. You are beautiful, whether you believe it or not. But soon, you'll have to find out that beauty is only skin deep. It's what's inside that counts," Cody explained. The glazed look on London's face almost made him laugh. She'd been pretty surprised when he called her beautiful.

"Maybe you're right," was all she could muster.

"I'm always right," he said cockily, making a slight chuckle to lighten the mood. She laughed too, but had to ask.

"You really think I'm pretty?" She asked, a bit too stuck on the subject. He nodded, but made a sound as if to signify that it wasn't important. As he began to get up, London gave him a quick, breathtaking hug.

"Thanks Cody," she said, a bit happier. He gave her a minor smile and made his way over to the door.

"That's what friends are for," he said slowly. He would never tell her how much he liked the hug...

A/N: HEHEHE squee That was too cute. But yeah, the sequel to IOMH will be up very shortly!


End file.
